So you had a complete derailment of your physical activity goals for 2020. If you were like the countless of Americans that went through the whole “New Year, New Me” train of thought or were merely switching up your routine, and were actually STICKING TO IT, having your fitness center shutdown for 2+ months definitely threw a wrench in your plans.
Let me tell you, I was right there with you. No home gym to speak of. Two resistant bands and THAT’S IT!
What did you do?
With all sincerity, I am asking because I am curious. How did you respond to these Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events? COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT…below.
I had a plan. Boy, did I have a plan for 2020. I was WELL on my way to realizing that plan. In January, I was serious about Intermittent Fasting (I.F.). I started with a four-hour eating window in January. Each month, I decrease my eating window by one hour. So, a three-hour eating window in February, followed by a two-hour eating window in March…then came APRIL.
Follow the journey here, If you STILL Haven’t Started, Just SHUT UP Already!
Back That Thang UP!
But let’s back it up. In mid-March, Maryland’s government officials shut down all the fitness facilities. I kindof saw the writing on the wall before hand. So true to form, I overloaded my workouts and skipped rest days once I caught a whiff of the possibility of my facility closing. I do this when my Spidey-Sense tells me there may be a change in my “normal” routine. Could this be a form of anxious energy?
When my wife was pregnant (And yes, I mean my wife, not “We”. Dudes that say WE get on my nerves.) with our second child and we were anticipating his arrival, I went absolutely BESERK with my workout plan. I would workout 7 days, 14 days, even 21 DAYS straight before I took a rest day. I literally had my body tell me, “You taking a break, punk!” and would fully exhaust myself before I took a rest day. A little over the top, likely unnecessary, yes! But that is how I dealt with the stress and the uncertainty of not knowing what was in store for the future.
SPOILER ALERT!
It all worked out. Once you and your wife commit to finding a way to Prioritize Physical Activity, it’s a wrap! But Fellas, GAIN BUY IN! I’m being as serious as can be. My kids gravitate to their mom, in a clingy way that they do not necessarily do to me, at least not as frequently. So, if YOU want to Prioritize Physical Activity, first, make sure SHE gets a chance to prioritize whatever SHE wants to prioritize.
As my body has gotten older, it has become increasingly more difficult to maintain a certain Body Mass Index (BMI). I have found that eating the same way I did in my 20’s, requires an EXPONENTIAL amount of energy to burn in order to maintain a fair BMI. Basically, I cannot do what I did in my 20’s (eat, drink, and workout) and expect to still be sexy (for my wife 😊). I am 35 years old now.
IN COMEs A VIRUS
So when COVID-19 decided to visit the U.S., I knew in the back of my head, things were about to change. So, I GOT BUSY! I did everything in my power to hit up the gym everyday in March. So when the gym shuttered their doors, I didn’t feel as though I was left in the wind. I also signaled to my wife to do the same.
Back to WHAT DID YOU DO?
When your fitness center closed and the commitment(s) you made, likely to yourself, what did you do? COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT…below.
Did you decide to stop holding yourself accountable because these circumstances were out of your control? Do you have a home gym? Were you able to use your home gym to stay on track? Do you have a home gym, but you lost motivation and your commitment waned? Did you take to the outdoors?
Full Transparency
On my end, during the brunt of 2020 COVID-19 season, I was away from home on traveling. That was fine by me. I am always ready to just go for a run or do calisthenics, or both.
My work duties took me away from my family (Check out Family Day EVERYDAY) and I spent a lot of time in hotels. These hotels were in counties where Fitness Centers were also ordered to close. Surprisingly enough, upon incessant requests, they were GRACIOUS enough to accommodate my request to “check out” dumbbells that were lying dormant in their fitness center.
Watch the video Hotel Review: DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Detroit Downtown – Fort Shelby | ACTIVE-DAD.
THIS. WAS. EPIC.
Supplement this light weight resistance training with making time to run til my heart’s content. I was well on my way to staying on track.
Because of my persistence to find a way , my goals of reducing my body fat percentage and inches on my hips were fully realized. Your experience may have been different during this time, but I really want to know what YOUR experience is/was.
MOTIVES
While in these hotels, I spent some down time obviously sleeping, watching The First 48, and Prioritizing Physical Activity. I don’t have cable T.V. at home, so watching The First 48 is out of the norm. It’s a T.V. documentary series that explores violent crimes and how they are solved. In the show, detectives always try to establish a suspect’s motive. Why did they murder the individual?
Ok, so this may appear to be WAY in left field, but allow me to bring it back. Motives are important. Extremely important. Motive is defined as “something (such as a need or desire) that causes a person to act”. I think you can see where I am going with this.
I want to establish YOUR motive. If your motive was weak, once your Fitness Center was shut down, you shut down too. You scrapped your 2020 goal(s). You decided it was impossible to stay at home, work, help with day care, AND Prioritize Physical Activity. Difficult, heck yes, impossible…HECK NOW! That’s where your motive picks up the slack.
What’s the point?
If nothing else, 2020 has reminded us that some things are just out of your control. Some of us need no reminder. The Fickle Finger of Fate didn’t just single you out.
You can control your immediate surroundings, your environment. You can control who you allow in your house and who you socialize with. To the point, you also control your motives.
COVID-19 was not foreseeable or within your control. But, your response to it…that was ALL you. Were your motive strong enough, deep rooted enough to allow you to pivot?
This year is not over yet y’all. Despite what you may see on social media, we don’t get a do over.
I need you to do three things:
- Ask yourself, how are you going to respond the rest of 2020?
- Grab a paper and pen and write your answers down, with specifics (i.e. I am going to take a walk every other day for thirty minutes at 7:30 a.m.).
- DO IT!
Stay Motivated! Stay Healthy!